


a drink to feel at home

by deathblossoms



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Blackwatch Era, Gen, I just love writing the two having nice talks like this, basically two pages of them rambling and joking, gabe isn't the average military man and jesse is learning he's a cool rebel dad, just some contemplation and character analysis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27338833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deathblossoms/pseuds/deathblossoms
Summary: After a mission, Jesse has the honour of getting to bond with the Commander over some drinks and they revisit the past. He's quickly realising that being under the wing of a free spirit was the best outcome he could have had.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	a drink to feel at home

**Author's Note:**

> Alternative title; _countrycore metallica brought me here._  
>  Just a short character thingo! I was listening a lot to Load/ReLoad and I have to say, the country-ish tracks (Mama Said, Low Man's Lyric, Hero of the Day) give me such Jesse vibes. There may be a Metallica lyrical reference in here somewhere, haha. 
> 
> Timeline wise I figure this is post tensions with DeadLock, kind of somewhere in the middle as Jesse's still learning things about Gabe.

Time off was a familiar friend of Jesse's but less so Reyes, but the moments that certain time aligned for the both of them certainly made for an interesting one. Things were less turbulent now, simmered down some time ago; the cowboy had adapted to just how stubborn the commander of Blackwatch could be, and oftentimes there was little reason to argue with him. Jesse was a quick learner, the ground beneath his feet felt more stable now and he was moving on from mourning his past.

Besides, when Reyes actually took the time to relax, it turned out he wasn't all that bad a guy. There were snacks and drinks, an opportunity to shoot the shit, as they say. The man may have been strict on the job, _sometimes,_ but he liked how Reyes never acted above them even with the theatrical ego. At the end of the day, he was just another man, but he wasn't an ordinary soldier, either. A free spirit beneath that uniform, the kind of man that was capable of earning the cowboy's respect.

Sometimes all it took to break the ice was a drink of some tacky, all-American beer.

In all of Jesse's muted observations he'd learned how Reyes didn't keep much company; when not with his close circle he drank alone, drinking that _interesting_ concoction of coffee, bitters and spices he mixed himself. It made the young recruit feel as if he'd done something right for the commander to let him into that particular circle – it made the blue moons count. Jesse watched the man beside him crack the bottle open before offering it and for a brief moment, he felt like he was in the company of a friend. With a thankful nod, Jesse accepted it.

“Thanks, boss.” He held it out with a tip of acknowledgement, and Reyes clinked the bottlenecks in approval.

“Hey, y'earned it.” Reyes said with a slight smile as he proceeded to take a gulp, his tone surprisingly light followed by a tart frown. “...figured you'd like this kinda stuff.”

“How thoughtful.” He said it with some jest, but he meant it.

With a chuckle Jesse lifted the bottle to his lips and took that satisfying first swig; even for tacky and ordinary it was still a decent treat, the right kind of thirst quencher. This was the best reward there was, not the pay or any kind of commendation, Blackwatch had never been for the glorychasers, after all. It was the little things that counted, the kind of things Jesse had learned early on in life to appreciate. The same applied here.

The two gazed out towards the horizon, watching the sun setting and all the warm tones it cast over the base rooftop, the searing heat of today now dulled down to a pleasant, balmy evening where cool winds drew in. They sat there in what felt like a contemplative silence for a while, drinks slowly being savoured. Surprisingly, Reyes was the first one to speak.

“You miss home sometimes, kid?” The commander looked towards him, finishing off his bottle and cracking open another two and passing over one.

“You lookin' for a short or long answer?” Jesse asked, accepting the second bottle.

“Short, I guess.” Reyes shrugged.

The cowboy waited a moment and gazed out towards the sunset, the moment drawn out with a dramatic silence as he contemplated. “It's... complicated.”

Reyes chuckled first, and the he almost cracked a chuckle of his own in return.

“Somehow I had a feeling you'd say that. You didn't _really_ wanna be there but it's home, right? You get used to things being how the way they are and once they're gone, you kinda miss 'em.”

“...yeah, you hit the nail on the head.”

“Funny how back then you hated the idea of leaving that all behind.”

Jesse shot him a look. “As far as my memory serves y'didn't give me much choice, boss, y'practically tore me away from it all. 'Course I was spittin', didn't know _what_ to think.”

“Yeah, I know, I know.” Reyes said calmly, clearly not intending on digging up that old coffin. “But hey, it worked out, right? You got aircon now and everything, getting missions and living that hero life.”

Jesse wrinkled his nose at that remark as he kept his eyes on the man. “Don't gimme that, Reyes. You never talk about our jobs that way, you don't sell that nonsense to anyone unless you really have to.”

“I mean... figured you'd earned the title at least once.” Reyes shrugged. “You really took that whole 'turn over a new leaf' thing and made it your own. Maybe it's too hard a word but, at the end of the day you're doing good, kid.”

He could tell the man was trying to be nice, but he had to rub it in somehow. It was rare, after all.

“...that a compliment, boss?” Jesse raised a brow. “You alright?”

“Nope. I was just talking to myself, y'know, insecurities and all that.” Reyes said dryly, but there was that look in his eyes that was almost kind as he spoke. Jesse was learning.

“ _...oh_. Well, if it's any consolation, I think you're capable of heroism. From time to time. _When_ you stick to the plan.”

“...that a compliment, Jesse?” Reyes cocked a brow in return.

“Nah. Jus' talkin' to myself. Got my own share of insecurities I need to address.”

That earned a chuckle from the commander, who kicked back with his drink.

“You know me, not in it for the participation ribbons, I just do my job... but I'll admit when it works out and no one dies, that makes me feel pretty great, too. Everything else, all that stuff they feed the recruits... drives me up the wall.”

“Some folk need the morale, they like feelin' like they're makin' a difference.”

“Morale's important, don't get me wrong, but the way they just go on and on, hero this, saviour that. Roping in people on that? Why not tell the truth about it?” Reyes almost sounded bitter when he'd said that, like it'd certainly come from somewhere.

“...they do that to you once, boss? When you were young? Give you all that 'hero' crud?”

“I ain't old.” He grunted back, but seemed to take a moment to think on the words, his brows furrowed in a certain thought. “...yeah, they kinda did tell us that. Boosted my ego a while but reality hit me like a brick wall soon enough. I saw the suffering first hand, kids without their folks, ashes where homes used to be... it was then I realised none of this was about me, but what I could do. And I haven't forgotten that since; it's for my folks, my family, the people around me. Nothing else matters.”

“Sounds like a song.” Jesse hummed. _“So close, no matter how far...”_

“Very funny. That's the last time I tell you anything.”

Reyes may shake his head, but Jesse caught that smile.

He felt he could respect the man a little more, knowing all that.


End file.
